Phil Mickelson couldn't resist having a little dig at the Northern Ireland duo Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell and the current litigation that affects both players – directly in McIlroy's case and McDowell indirectly – in the world number one's ongoing legal dispute with Horizon Sports Management.
When answering a question, which intimated that the Americans weren’t as tight as their European counterparts, in terms of the team bonding process, the American responded: “Well, not only are we able to play together, we also don’t litigate against each other and that’s a real plus, I feel, heading into this week.”
The nervous laughter that permeated the room prompted the American to follow up, while smiling, with, “I couldn’t resist, sorry, go ahead”.
McIlroy, McDowell and European team captain Paul McGinley will choose how they wish to interpret the tone and the content of the remarks.
When asked to comment by the European Tour, McGinley declined.
It certainly made for a change to the normal platitudes and verbal bouquet tossing in the long preamble to the start of the Ryder Cup.
Mickelson has had legal issues of his own this year after being questioned by the FBI in relation to an investigation into alleged insider share trading. He has denied any wrongdoing.
Only a couple of weeks ago McIlroy suggested Mickelson and the absent Tiger Woods were “playing the last few holes of their careers”.
Mickelson will become the first American to play in 10 Ryder Cups this week when he will reprise the partnership with Keegan Bradley.
“I’ve got a good partner that obviously I’m going to play again with Keegan. I don’t think I’m letting go of any secrets here,” said the left hander.
He and Bradley looked unstoppable together at Medinah two years ago, winning three points as the hosts raced into a 8-4 lead after three sessions – which they later extended to 10-4 – before Europe began their fightback late on the Saturday by winning two points ahead of the drama of Sunday singles.
Mickelson insists he has no regrets about the decision not to play in the Saturday afternoon fourballs despite their amazing form.
“I understand why this continues to be a topic of conversation but I need you to grasp our mindset because it will make sense that it had no impact on the outcome of the event,” he insisted.
“When we were ahead five or six holes (against Lee Westwood and Luke Donald), Davis Love came to us and said ‘Do you want to play?’ and I guess I said our deal was we were going to go out and play as hard as we can in the morning round knowing we were going to be sitting in the afternoon giving somebody else a chance and resting for the singles.
“The debate was this: Should Keegan and I play or should Bubba (Watson) and Webb (Simpson) play?
“Bubba and Webb went out and they won the point so it wouldn’t have made a bit of difference – we weren’t going to take anybody else’s place.
“There is absolutely no way that that had an outcome on the final event.”
